Your pet peeve, technical or otherwise.

[paulca]

Haven't we all experienced the following?

Ok, you want to purchase something and you're emailing with a customer service person of some company.

You have some questions. But no matter how you phrase the questions. They never answer it properly. You get some response on the topic that you introduce that nowhere addresses the real thing you're looking for and they add another irrelevant thing like that they have 100,000 parts in their warehouse. So frustrating! 

I'm pretty sure it is something like a 'Chat-Bot' that you are communicating with.

I had this with Worchester Bosch.  My question was simple.

"What is an acceptable number of daily ON/OFF cycles for the boiler to survive it's warranty period?"

They just wouldn't answer the question.  They just tried to sell me their smart/spyware Wifi controllers.

I pushed that I wasn't interested and I just wanted to know if 10 cycles is too many or if 100 cycles is too many.

No response.

You absolutely know they have tested this and have data for this.  They just won't tell me what it is in case my boiler fails and they claim it's "over cycling causing over wear and tear", if they tell me a figure and I can prove it was under that, ... you know how they work.

[Zero999]

Fools who litter the forum with threads all about the same project. Recently, idiots who shall remain nameless have polluted the place with numbers threads about their Bioamplifier and 723 project. Telling them doesn't make any difference so I gave up.

[calzap]

   The 'asymmetrical blob of white beard' that seems so popular, with men younger than fully grey.

Maybe they’re Herrenmänner from Wunderland.

[Bud]

You'd think the LCD on the right hand side digit under "Vol" setting is broken , but it seems a weird Sony way to display volume setting - one digit followed by one,two or three stacked horizontal bars. As you rotate the volume dial, the leading nimber is changed as the major step followed by one,two or three bars as minor steps.

I wonder if this is Sony specific "invention", which also what my other Sony radio has, which i never liked BTW.

[cncjerry]

Pete peeve, how about someone that sets a date for you to pick up some equipment and at 11pm the night before, he sends a text wanting $50 more? 

He was selling equipment off a production line, said I could test it there, etc.  I said that wasn't necessary and I just wanted to pick it up.  I told him we had a verbal agreement and he needed to honor it.  Things went down hill but I tracked down the CEO of the company and sent a letter asking if this was the way they did business.  Haven't heard back but I doubt they have the letter yet.

What happened to people?  This person sold his word for $50. Then he lied about our agreement, for $50???  I would never do that, never.  You can't put a price on reputation. 

Jerry

[rsjsouza]

Pete peeve, how about someone that sets a date for you to pick up some equipment and at 11pm the night before, he sends a text wanting $50 more? 

He was selling equipment off a production line, said I could test it there, etc.  I said that wasn't necessary and I just wanted to pick it up.  I told him we had a verbal agreement and he needed to honor it.  Things went down hill but I tracked down the CEO of the company and sent a letter asking if this was the way they did business.  Haven't heard back but I doubt they have the letter yet.

What happened to people?  This person sold his word for $50. Then he lied about our agreement, for $50???  I would never do that, never.  You can't put a price on reputation. 

Jerry

People breaking agreements is commonplace. At work we have an internal classified page and a few elements tend to be firm as jell-o when agreeing with something. One asked for more money after posting a price, another simply sold the item between the arrangement for pickup and the pickup time itself... At this point I simply move on and add their names to my "do not buy" list. 

[RJSV]

   Doctor's Offices serving under (U.S.) Medicare HMO's, gouging excessive 'fees' for pandemic things like gloves ($200), annual 'blood pressure' checks (US $120) etc.etc.including phone question...(They called ME !)...US $220 charged.
I mean, even before COVID appeared on the scene, medical office profits soaring, on pushing things like 'annual flu shot'.

   The monthly mailed billing statements come....(wait for it:);
SIDEWAYS PRINT, with billed items splayed out in landscape mode.  And of course my peeve includes the whole account 'enter password / login'.

Subsidies must be massive, for the privately held HMO 'Provider'

[helius]

Medicare is the US government medical insurance for retirees. "Medicare Advantage" is a scheme that funnels federal dollars into private insurance companies to service the same retirees. So naturally, elders are coerced and/or cajoled into signing up to this program, often with lies about how it's an "HMO" or "concierge care". Old people are the number one profit center for the medical industry, and the program is a solution for insurance companies angry that they were not getting a slice.

Similar privatization schemes are being introduced to Britain's NHS.

[CatalinaWOW]

Every countries health care system seems terrible.

What irritates be about the US system (assuming you have insurance) is that you have no idea what the real cost of service is.  You receive a bill for $25,000 dollars.  It is submitted to insurance.  They say no way, we will only pay $4500.  Initial billing entity says OK, if the patient will pay $350 we are even.  WTF?  This pattern has been repeated on every encounter I have had with the system, from childbirth, through broken bones, joint replacements, cancer treatments everything. 

The best I can guess is that the actual cost is somewhat under $4500 dollars, and the first bill is an attempt to build up margin to pay for the indigent who can't/won't pay at all.  In the US for the most part hospitals can't deny treatment to anyone, so the money has to come from somewhere.  They get this from those who are too wealthy to be concerned about such things and those who can't negotiate as well as the insurance companies.

[helius]

I'm not an insurance expert, but I think what happens is that each hospital group has a so-called "chargemaster" that lists services at the most optimistic rates they can dream up. The hospitals have arrangements with insurers, ironically with Medicare being the most influential, that agree to pay only a percentage of the billed cost. You can imagine how this came about: at some point in the past, the government was facing a cost crisis and had to institute a "we'll pay only 30%" policy. So to prevent going bankrupt, hospitals had to scramble to create a document that proved their actual prices were whatever 1/30% was. That's the chargemaster.

[eutectique]

Top-posters!


Because it screws up the order in which people normally read text.

Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

Top-posting.

What is the most annoying thing in e-mail, forums, and groups?

[themadhippy]

Every countries health care system seems terrible.

sod the critics,the nhs here in the uk is ok,its could be excellent if they got rid of the excessive non clinical staff,suppliers stopped charging ripoff prices because,well  its the nhs  and successive governments stopped interfering in running things.

[Xena E]

Yup. Very annoying.

Top-posters!


Because it screws up the order in which people normally read text.

Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

Top-posting.

What is the most annoying thing in e-mail, forums, and groups?

[shapirus]

Yup. Very annoying.

Top-posters!


Because it screws up the order in which people normally read text.

Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

Top-posting.

What is the most annoying thing in e-mail, forums, and groups?

overquoting!

[mendip_discovery]

Yup. Very annoying.

Top-posters!


Because it screws up the order in which people normally read text.

Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

Top-posting.

What is the most annoying thing in e-mail, forums, and groups?

overquoting!

How about replying within the quote.

I really dislike that we get massive email chains with no snipping of useless info. I keep getting complaints that I haven't replied to the email but its it's only becuase their app hides it.

Becuase its bad

Why is top posting bad?

[eutectique]

Why is top posting bad?

The reason (and example) was given in the reply #4011: Because it screws up the order in which people normally read text.

[bookaboo]

Xena that’s exceptionally poor form publicly naming and shaming an employee. Every one was young and dumb once , but it appears that you sir, are not worthy of having employees in your charge.

Edit : Original post where Xena used the persons real name (clear and juvenile attempt to catch google searches) was removed.

[Kim Christensen]

Why is top posting bad?

The reason (and example) was given in the reply #4011: Because it screws up the order in which people normally read text.

Reread mendip_discovery's entire post... 
**Humor detected**

[eutectique]

Yep, was too distracted/concentrated compiling my project, took the subtle trolling literally

[Xena E]

Xena that’s exceptionally poor form publicly naming and shaming an employee. Every one was young and dumb once , but it appears that you sir, are not worthy of having employees in your charge.

Thank you for your opinions.

It is young dumb dangerous idiots like him who get people killed.

He has already had numerous complaints made against him by other members of my department, beside his lack of productivity.

I am gently letting him know that it will not be tolerated, and giving him the chance to consider his behaviour.

I have no problem with verbal banter but do not tolerate practical jokes.

He has done far worse to others, this way he gets a final, and I mean final chance. I have only brought this to his attention so as not alert those who would have no choice but terminate his contract, there is zero tolerance for stupidity like this by the company's HR and H&S: I doubt any of those persons would read this forum.

I could not berate the guy in the work place in front of colleagues as it would then have to become public and he would have to have been dismissed already.

Supposedly a college wizz kid, this person has in the last two weeks played various stunts including putting IPA in a colleagues drinks cup.

If you, sir,  think that is funny you are as much a dumb **** as he is.

If you wish to address me again my pronouns are She and Her, my acceptable titles are Miss, Ms, or formally, Doctor.

Not sir.

Regards.
Xena.

[themadhippy]

this person has in the last two weeks played various stunts including putting IPA in a colleagues drinks cup.

For that that alone they  deserve sacking ,and possible criminal charges of attempted poisoning.

[CatalinaWOW]

I'm not an insurance expert, but I think what happens is that each hospital group has a so-called "chargemaster" that lists services at the most optimistic rates they can dream up. The hospitals have arrangements with insurers, ironically with Medicare being the most influential, that agree to pay only a percentage of the billed cost. You can imagine how this came about: at some point in the past, the government was facing a cost crisis and had to institute a "we'll pay only 30%" policy. So to prevent going bankrupt, hospitals had to scramble to create a document that proved their actual prices were whatever 1/30% was. That's the chargemaster.

This seems logical and may be correct.  But whatever it is, it sure makes it hard as hell to determine what a fair price is and whether anyone is getting screwed.

[RJSV]

CatalinaWOW:
   Thanks for interest.  Did you ever watch the 'Spagetti Westerns', where the cowboy bounty-hunter tests if a criminal man is hiding out...not supposed to start any trouble, because the outlaws will be conducting a robbery, (dont attract any attention, in the bar there).
The Lee Van Cleef cowboy 'tested' that by doing an aggressive move, on the criminal guy, laying low.   He lit his match, for cigar, on the criminal's back, obviously a natural fight starting ploy.   But, NO FIGHT; as the crook guy can't be causing any trouble, (before bank heist).
   Well, sorry for that lengthy mention, but that was the situation with (my) HMO, as I inadvertantly had to stop making the monthly HMO bill!  I had been wondering, how my lapse in paying would be responded to ?
NOTHING,   although they did keep sending bill every month.   That tells me, (maybe), that HMO would somehow make profit, even WITHOUT my monthly payment due;  a very interesting development, considering I had already suspected government subsidies, some perhaps paid unseen, was the HMO business model, not myself, the supposed 'beneficiary'.

   Seems like the private corporations have little interest, in health care, besides just racking up endless tests; MRI's, CT scans etc.   My observations confirmed that, over a few years.   Realized, my doctor was very smart, very very busy with TWO offices in the region, and....crappy as hell !
Except for the blood pressure controls, everything else has been, uh, perhaps a '2' on a scale of '5' in the quality of care.
And a real snotty attitude, that's why I really don't want to name names, publicly.   Livid...absolutely.

[Simon]

Xena that’s exceptionally poor form publicly naming and shaming an employee. Every one was young and dumb once , but it appears that you sir, are not worthy of having employees in your charge.

Thank you for your opinions.

It is young dumb dangerous idiots like him who get people killed.

He has already had numerous complaints made against him by other members of my department, beside his lack of productivity.

I am gently letting him know that it will not be tolerated, and giving him the chance to consider his behaviour.

I have no problem with verbal banter but do not tolerate practical jokes.

He has done far worse to others, this way he gets a final, and I mean final chance. I have only brought this to his attention so as not alert those who would have no choice but terminate his contract, there is zero tolerance for stupidity like this by the company's HR and H&S: I doubt any of those persons would read this forum.

I could not berate the guy in the work place in front of colleagues as it would then have to become public and he would have to have been dismissed already.

Supposedly a college wizz kid, this person has in the last two weeks played various stunts including putting IPA in a colleagues drinks cup.

If you, sir,  think that is funny you are as much a dumb **** as he is.

If you wish to address me again my pronouns are She and Her, my acceptable titles are Miss, Ms, or formally, Doctor.

Not sir.

Regards.
Xena.

Then report it and get him fired, someone who does the things you claim needs to learn the hard way.

[mendip_discovery]

Yep, was too distracted/concentrated compiling my project, took the subtle trolling literally

Wasn't planning on trolling. It's a way my friends used to explain to other why top post is bad. Being on a mailing list with a few hundred emails a day if you didn't snip emails or reply correctly then the spectrum collective would rise up and pick on you until you corrected your ways.

Though I did sneak in one troll, that was those that reply in the quoted text, leaving you wondering what is quoted and what is reply.